Taken by the Rhythm of Salsa

Salsa party at the Klubi after the Cuban documentary film Los Zafiros.

"I miss Cuba. There is music everywhere in Cuba, just like in the film", Tuula Kapanen says after watching the documentary film Los Zafiros.

Kapanen has been in Havanna three times. Fortunately, her longing for Cuba can be banished to some extent by the rhythm of salsa.

Cuba and its rhythms attract people in Finland. On Wednesday night at the Klubi the shy and taciturn Finns turn into happy dancers who swing their hips to the catchy rhythm of music.

The Cuban documentary film Los Zafiros was a success, but the crowd on the dance floor afterwards was even more impressive than the film.

When the Rhythm is in Blood

Gisella Huotari spent nearly the whole night on the dance floor. She has been dancing salsa for some five years now, and she loves the high tempo of the dance.

She thinks it is nice to have a possibility to spend a salsa night after watching the film that breathes the Cuban spirit.

"There are a lot of people who have never danced salsa before". During the night Huotari does not need to worry about the lack of dancing partners.

She confirms that a Finnish man has a talent for salsa.

Willing to Dance

However, not everyone was dancing on the floor. Päivi Eskonsalo attended a salsa night for the second time in her life. The problem was not the lack of dancing skills.

"Those salsaboys can surely teach you while on the dance floor, and they warmly welcome even us beginners." According to Päivi, dancing salsa has become an intermediate form of traditional open air dance floors and teenage discos.

At any rate, Päivi did not want to be a wallflower during this salsa night.

"I will certainly go dancing if someone comes and asks."

A Representative Taken by Salsa

Minna Sirnö, a representative of the Left Alliance Party in the Finnish Parliament, was seen on the dance floor as well.

"The results of the dance lessons I have taken cannot yet be seen in my skills," she laughs.

Sirnö has attended a basic course, and is willing to learn more. She is interested in Cuba in other context as well.

"Cuba has always been a significant cooperation partner for our party. And I am completely taken by salsa. Here one notices that people who say they cannot swing their hips, can actually do it. Salsa suits very well for Finnish people, as does karaoke."

Sirnö has a karaoke band that will have its first gig at the Restaurant Populus in Helsinki on Thursday next week.

Just Like Home in Cuba

A Cuban Gorge Luiz Garcia, who we found humming songs to himself in Pakkahuone, was touched by the film.

"I cried during the whole film. It brought a lot of memories to my mind." He was surprised by the Finnish enthusiasm in Cuban rhythms.

"When you come here you can almost imagine yourself in Cuba."

Gorge believes that salsa is very suitable for Finns. However, just in case he adds smiling: "Salsa is like good aerobics, but its not like country dance!”

Oliver Has Been Dancing His Whole Life

A Venezuelan Oliver Paredes has been a crucial factor in the growing passion for salsa as a hobby in Tampere. He came to Finland two years ago and established here the dance school Salsa Pasión in June 2003. For Oliver dancing is a part of normal course of life.

"Two years ago there was a small group of salsa dancers in Tampere, but now there are approximately 300_500 of them. Some of them take dance lessons every day," Oliver says with content.

"It's nice to teach Finnish people, because they regard dancing as a relaxing hobby. The Finns are motivated and proud of their skills."

The Tank man from Havanna

For the film director Arto Halonen the salsa night was a natural choice, because he is currently working on a feature film that is being made in Cuba.

While doing some researching for the film in Havanna, Halonen met a man called Jesus Triguero, who has turned the pushing of petrol cans into an acrobatic art form. The short film about this man was screened for the first time on Friday in the Finnish competition at Tampere Film Festival.